78: Postpartum Doula Services with Kristin Revere

Connect with Kristin:
www.goldcoastdoulas.com, www.supportedbook.com, www.askthedoulas.com @goldcoastdoulas on Insta, FB, TikTok, Pinterest

Ever wondered what a postpartum doula actually does—and how they can make early motherhood easier?

In this episode, I sit down with Kristin Revere, founder of Gold Coast Doulas, co-author of Supported: Your Guide to Birth and Baby, and host of Ask the Doulas. Kristin shares what doulas do (beyond labor support), the difference between birth and postpartum doulas, and how they provide emotional, physical, and educational care for new moms.

We cover what to expect when hiring a doula, how to find one in your area, and even ways families can budget or use employer benefits to make postpartum support more accessible.

If you’re preparing for birth—or in the thick of postpartum life—this conversation will help you feel seen, supported, and better equipped for the journey ahead.

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Transcript

Vanda: Hey, hey, welcome back to the podcast! Today I am joined by Kristin Revere, the owner and founder of Gold Coast Doulas in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She’s an elite certified birth doula, a newborn care specialist, a childbirth educator, and an elite certified postpartum doula. Kristin is also the co-author of Supported: Your Guide to Birth and Baby and host of the Ask the Doulas podcast. She’s a mom of two and bonus mom to one.

Today, Kristin and I are talking all about doulas—specifically postpartum doulas. Kristin, can you start by giving everyone a quick definition of what a doula is, for anyone who might not be familiar?

Kristin: Sure, Vanda! There are many types of doulas, but the most commonly known is a birth doula. A birth doula supports clients in a non-medical way, no matter where they choose to deliver—whether that’s at home, a birth center, or a hospital.

All doulas—whether birth, postpartum, or bedrest doulas—provide support in three main ways:

1. Education and resources: We share recommendations for things like prenatal yoga classes, pelvic floor physical therapists, or mental health providers.
2. Emotional support: We coach clients through labor, postpartum recovery, or the stress of bedrest.
3. Physical support: During labor, that might mean comfort measures like hip squeezes, counter-pressure, or guiding partners in how to help.

For postpartum doulas, physical support can look like light meal prep, household tasks, sibling care, and newborn care. It also includes feeding support—helping with that first latch, pumping, or formula feeding.

Vanda: I love that. And one thing you mentioned that stands out is doulas knowing different birthing positions and strategies. I think most people only know what they’ve seen in movies—the traditional hospital position—and don’t realize how many options there are.

Kristin: Exactly. No matter where you deliver, we can suggest different positions and techniques if labor stalls or if the baby is malpositioned.

Vanda: That’s so valuable and can really help reduce medical interventions. As a new mom, that can be one of the scariest parts—you want to avoid unnecessary procedures but don’t always know how. Having a doula there for guidance seems like such an empowering tool.

Kristin: Absolutely.

Vanda: Let’s shift to postpartum doulas, since that’s less familiar to many people. What does a postpartum doula’s schedule typically look like?

Kristin: It really depends on the family’s needs. At Gold Coast, we have a large team of 26 doulas, educators, and sleep consultants, so we can usually accommodate requests quickly—even for overnight help.

Some families want both day and night support. A typical schedule might be three days a week during weekdays for the first couple of months. Our postpartum doulas are also newborn care specialists, so we often work with families through the baby’s first year.

Daytime doulas might focus on recovery, sibling care, and helping “mother the mother,” while overnight doulas handle feedings, baby care, and ensuring parents get rest.

Vanda: That sounds incredible. How does someone go about finding a doula in their area?

Kristin: If you don’t have friends who’ve used one, talk to your pediatrician, OB-GYN, or midwife. Facebook mom groups are also great for local recommendations. You can search online for “doula near me” or “postpartum doula near me.”

There’s a vetted site called DoulaMatch.net where you can enter your ZIP code to find certified doulas nearby. Another option is Hello Meela—spelled M-E-E-L-A—which connects parents and doulas based on budget and preferences.

Vanda: That’s super helpful. Speaking of budget, how can families plan ahead financially for doula support?

Kristin: Birth doulas typically charge a flat fee, while postpartum doulas work hourly. At Gold Coast, our minimum daytime shift is three hours, and overnight shifts are at least eight hours—typically 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

To stretch your budget, you can combine doula support with help from friends or family. Also, many employer and insurance benefits now include doula care.

Programs like Carrot Fertility, Progeny, and Maven often cover birth and postpartum doula services. Health savings (HSA) and flex spending (FSA) accounts can also be used. And some Medicaid programs, including in Michigan, cover birth doulas with follow-up postpartum visits.

Vanda: Yes! I’ve seen that happening with some insurance plans in my area too, and I love that this is becoming more common. Hopefully more companies will offer it soon.

Kristin: Agreed. Even if it’s just a few visits, that support makes a big difference—especially for emotional recovery, birth processing, and early feeding questions.

Vanda: Speaking of feeding, do most postpartum doulas also have training in breastfeeding support?

Kristin: Great question. All of our doulas are trained in basic feeding support, but some pursue additional certifications. On my team, several doulas are Certified Lactation Counselors (CLCs), and one is a nurse IBCLC who provides home visits for medical concerns like supply issues, mastitis, or tongue tie.

So yes, many doulas can assist with non-medical breastfeeding questions and offer extra guidance based on their training.

Vanda: That’s amazing. Kristin, thank you so much for sharing your expertise today and helping us understand the role of postpartum doulas. Where can listeners connect with you or learn more about your work?

Kristin: Thank you, Vanda! You can find me at goldcoastdoulas.com
. My book website is supportedbook.com, and my podcast Ask the Doulas is available on all major podcast platforms and at askthedoulas.com.

I also teach an online course called Becoming a Mother at thebecomingcourse.com.

And one last tip—add postpartum or birth doula services to your baby registry! Instead of getting endless onesies, ask friends and family to gift you real support like doula hours, meal delivery, or housekeeping. It truly makes life easier during those early weeks.

Vanda: I love that! It’s such a meaningful gift idea—something that truly supports new parents when they need it most. Kristin, thank you again for being here.

Kristin: Thanks for having me!

Vanda: You’re so welcome. I appreciate you, and we’ll chat again next week. Bye!